Betty Mbitjana - AWELYE AND BUSH MELON BM1827

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participating in the customary practices of her culture. Her late mother, Minnie Pwerie, a recognised artist, had a strong influence on her artistic development and thematic preference – that of a tribal ceremony pertaining to females using inherited patterns depicting the designs painted on the women’s upper bodies and those made in the sand, are frequently the basis of Betty’s work.

The talented females in her extended family would depict the local hardy bush berry and bush plum (awelye) in the sacred design on their chests, breasts and upper arms, using the traditional media of ochre, charcoal and ash and through their dance rituals acknowledge their predecessors, show respect for their land and celebrate their ‘women’s business’.

Betty’s artwork is highly regarded and well produced. Her symbolism and technique provide the viewer with a sense of movement and vibrancy. Her work has been exhibited at several galleries over the past five years.

This artwork represents the artist's country of Atnwengerrp and the women's ceremonies performed, which is illustrated with U shaped motifs and lines. The lines depict Awelye. Awelye or Awely represents ceremonies; women's ceremony and ceremonial design (body paint). The large concentric circles represent the ceremonial sites. The small circles depicted refer to the bush melon fruit, which once grew plentiful, but now days difficult to find. The Aboriginal women gathered the fruit, either to be eaten or dried, when bush tucker became scarce.